


Hidden Hearts

by The_fake_KamalaKhan



Series: Life of Carol Danvers [4]
Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Character Development, Coming Out, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Families of Choice, Family Fluff, For Carol Danvers- more at peace, Insecure Monica Rambeau, Meeting the Parents, Minor Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:28:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26722165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_fake_KamalaKhan/pseuds/The_fake_KamalaKhan
Summary: For the past month or so, a teenage Monica Rambeau had been in a relationship with a beautiful girl from uptown. She's smart, sweet, and just wonderful, but Monica is worried about how her mother and godmother would react to her unconventional relationship.On an unrelated note, Carol meets a promising new fighter in her war against the Kree. At the time, the Captain thinks that it was an amusing encounter before she makes her way back home, where she and Maria will finally meet the person that their daughter is dating.
Relationships: Carol Danvers & Maria Rambeau & Monica Rambeau, Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau, Maria Rambeau & Monica Rambeau
Series: Life of Carol Danvers [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1340182
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21





	Hidden Hearts

**Washington DC**

**1998**

Today was a stressful day for Monica Rambeau.

Correction. Monica Rambeau is 15 years old. A teenager. She's always stressed.

Between school and the hormonal train wreck that is puberty, there was hardly a day where Monica felt either dead tired or frustrated as all hell. You'd think she would be able to take it easy on the weekends, but unfortunately, Mon landed one of those overly strict teachers this year for math class.

You know, the kind who would bar you from class if you're even a second late or send you to detention if you so much as cough during one of their aggressively bland lectures. The kind who seems to take a perverse joy in assigning their students homework over the weekends as a way to find some joy in their sad, vastly underappreciated lot in life.

So on top of completing a ten page essay and studying for a test, both of which are due Monday, Monica Rambeau had the unfortunate added burden of introducing her legal guardians (her mother and godmother) to the person she had been dating for about a month now.

Her first real relationship.

Everything had to be perfect, which is why Monica had been beside herself next to the dining room table, fiddling with the placement of the plates and utensils as if she had OCD (which she doesn't, by the way).

Currently, only one of her mothers was present, Maria Rambeau, who was adding the finishing touches to the pot of gumbo that she was preparing. She noticed her daughter shaking like a massage chair and fiddling with a fork anxiously, undecided on whether or not it was fancier to either put it next to the spoon or across it with the plate in the middle.

Maria smirked and told her, "You can tone the act down, Mon. It's just a family dinner, not a five star restaurant."

Monica sighed. "You're probably right," she said walking away from the table... before returning to it almost immediately, "But should the knives be next to the fork or to the spoon?"

"Monica...", Maria mumbled to herself before putting the finished pot away from the stove. She walked over to her worried daughter and asked, "What's got you so riled up? It's only a dinner date."

"Except my date is meeting my parents for the first time!", Monica snapped hysterically, "This is a huge milestone, mom! Probably the most important! Everything has to go perfect, or else this relationship is gonna fall apart fast! They'll think I come from a bad family, and they'll never wanna talk to me again! I'll be alone and sad forever! Probably too sad to get a proper job, and I'll spend the rest of my life in the back of Uncle JJ's RV!"

Maria raised her brow. "What's wrong with JJ's RV?"

"His weird, alien boyfriend sleeps on it, mom," Monica deadpanned.

Maria shrugs. "Nah, they broke up a while ago. He sleeps on some other guy's car now."

"Mom! Not the point!", Monica shouted before taking a few deep breaths and deflating, "I just... I want this night to be perfect."

"Oh sweetheart... you worry too much," Maria said with a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder, "If this guy really loves you, he'll just love sharing this moment with you."

Monica looked away with a embarrassed blush and an almost shameful look in her eye. "I... I guess you have a point. Sorry mom."

"It's okay," Maria then asked, "This mystery boy of yours should be here soon. Can you please tell a little about whoever is worthy enough for my little girl?"

"Come on, mom. I'm fifteen," Monica childishly protested, "And no. You can't. We... both agree that it's best if we let this be a surprise."

"Right, for showmanship. Completely understand. But can you at least tell me his name?"

"No," Monica said bluntly.

Maria sighed. "You know, when I was your age, your grandma would kick my butt if I tried to be that coy about my love life."

"Lucky me," Monica muttered sardonically, "Where's Auntie Carol? I thought she'd be here by now."

"Work got in the way. You know how it is with her. But she called me a minute ago. Said that she finished settling some border dispute or whatever. She just has to wrap up a few things first."

* * *

**Galador**

**Meanwhile**

Like a pair of Kree terrorists, for example. Specifically inside a portable energy bubble.

"Better luck next time, assholes," the ever snarky Carol Danvers said as she bounced the ball towards a pair of cyborg knights, who took the beaten (and nauseous) crooks to their dropship where they will be transported to the nearest cell.

Standing amidst a ruined compound and surrounded by several broken drone carcasses, Carol turned around to see her partners in crimefighting for this little encounter. Her old friend and former crush, Avril Kincaid, and her new apprentice, a teenage human (or humanoid) with light brown skin, long black hair, and a skintight, purple and white jumpsuit.

Carol spoke to Avril first. "Just like old times, eh Avie?"

"Yes. Just like the old days," Avril remarked, "Except replace the schoolyard bullies with killer drones, the helpless nerds with actual hostages, and the two local tomboys with adult women with superpowers."

"Hey, I thought we agreed a long time ago that I get to be the smartass of the duo," Carol then turned to the teen, "You did good too, kid. Elena, was it?"

"Amalia actually," the teen corrected with a noticeable Hispanic accent, "And thank you. It was an honor to fight alongside you, Captain Marvel."

"Please, call me Carol. Captain Marvel's just for the press and charity events," Carol said in a lighthearted way that put the slightly intimidated Amalia at ease, "Interesting power set, kid. Super strength, flight, and those weird star portal thingies? Where are you from?"

"I'm actually living on your planet currently, Cap… Carol," Amalia answered in a rather reserved manner, "Although, I was originally born in a planet called Fuertona."

Carol looked at the young heroine intrigued. "Really? I heard of Fuertona. It's supposedly this awesome utopia. Why'd you leave? And to Earth of all places?"

"As I explained to Avril, I'm an Inhuman," Amalia explained much to Carol's shock, "Though, the gene was still dormant when I was… taken. You see, I was abducted by a rogue cabal of Kree scientists. They knew I had the Inhuman gene, so they took me to their base on one of the border planets to get… experimented on. That's how I got my powers."

"Sounds awful," Carol said with the utmost sympathy, "How did you escape?"

Amalia turned to Avril and smiled. "Quasar rescued me. As luck would have it, she had been on my captors' trail, and she freed me from them. I owe her everything."

Avril smiled back and said, "I was only doing my job. But I was glad to help."

Amalia turned back to Carol and continued, "I was an orphan back home. Fuertona is a wonderful place, but I had no one. And frankly, I never felt I belonged there. Paradise can get pretty boring, especially when you're alone. So Avril found me a family on Earth. And I've been counting my blessings ever since."

"I'm glad things worked out so well with," Carol said before asking, "But how did you end up being Avie's sidekick?"

"I prefer 'partner', actually," Amalia lightly objected.

"Of course you do," Carol quietly muttered.

Amalia continued, "I didn't ask for my powers, but for better or for worse, they're a part of me now. I figured that I have the responsibility to use them for the greater good. So, I asked Avril to take me on as her apprentice, and, well, the rest was history."

"And I bet it felt good to get back at the Kree, huh?", Carol said.

Avril blushed. "That's... not untrue."

Carol smirked. "I just never thought I'd ever meet an actual Inhuman. I thought you guys were just urban myths!"

"You did?", Amalia asked confused, "But don't you know about the Inhuman kingdom on Earth's moon?"

"There's an Inhuman kingdom on the moon?!", Carol suddenly screamed, spooking Amalia a little.

Avril spoke up, "Right, I guess we never looped you in on that situation."

"No shit," Carol snarked, "But it's just a kingdom of Kree created super beings on Earth's doorstep. No reason to bring little old me into the fold."

"Don't get snippy with me," Avril said, "Besides, they mostly just keep to themselves. Talos and I agreed to help keep them secret after they helped us uproot a secret Kree outpost near their backdoor. You know how the Kree would get if they find out that there's an entire nation of superhumans that they could control."

"I mean, I get that. I really do," Carol said with a frustrated frown, "I guess I'm just kinda pissed that you never thought to trust me with that kind of information. I mean, I'm trustworthy! I could've helped. Right?"

"I never said you weren't..."

While she quietly (and awkwardly) let the adults talk it out, Amalia's wristwatch suddenly rang an alarm, silencing the two other women as they looked at the teen with surprise. Amalia looked at the adults and then at her watch with a nervous chuckle before turning it off.

"I, um, have a date tonight. I almost forgot," she turned to Avril and asked, "May I be excused?"

"Of course," Avril said nodding, "Enjoy the rest of your night."

"Thank you," Amalia then turned to Carol, "Captain Danvers, sir... ma'am!"

Amalia awkwardly saluted, but what little confidence she had quickly melted away the more the two adults stared at her. Carol just gave her a smile and wished her luck. Turning away, Amalia summoned a big shining star with her curious, glowing star tattoo on the back of her hand. Now just a bundle of frayed nerves, Amalia bolted into the star portal frantically, shattering its surface like glass, before disappearing entirely.

"That was random," Carol then looked at Avril, "You picked a real winner, Avie."

"Are you being sarcastic?", Avril said glaring at the blonde.

"Yes and no," Carol remarked, "I see a lot of myself in that kid, actually."

"She does has a similar Kree abductee backstory as you, I admit," Avril then countered, "But unlike you, she actually thinks before deciding to blow stuff up."

"I'm getting better," Carol protested.

"Are you really?", Avril teased, "Admittedly, I wish she had more of your nerve. I'm trying to get Amalia to be more decisive and confident. Sometimes, I worry that it was a mistake to take her under my wing. The things we do to protect the universe... I'm afraid they might break Amalia given everything she's been through."

"Nah," Carol shrugged, "I think they'll make her stronger."

Avril looked at her with suprise. "Really?"

"Having your life turned upside down by the Kree... I understand the scars that leaves on a person. They nearly broke me, but I think I came out stronger in the end. I took what they tried to force on me and made it my own."

"That's... surprisingly deep for you, Carol," Avril said blinking, "But do you really think Amalia would come out the same way?"

"Not the same way as me, precisely. But given enough time and a little encouragement... I think the kid will turn out just fine. I still wish the six years never happened, but I made my peace with that. Eventually. When Amalia decides to make her peace with her own past, I think she'll do some amazing things."

Avril smirked. "You really do amaze me sometimes, Danvers."

"I know, and it's harder than it looks. Being absolutely awesome all the time," Carol remarked feeling a little full of herself, "Kicking ass, giving sage advice... I'm basically the best at everything."

Noticing that her friend's pride needed to be knocked down a couple notches, Avril pointed out, "Don't you have that dinner date with Maria and Monica? When is that by the way?"

Suddenly, Carol's confidence and self-assurance was quickly replaced by horror and overall feeling of stupidity.

"Ah shit!"

* * *

**Earth**

Sitting glumly on the couch, Monica was talking to someone on her new cellphone.

_"I'm in the neighborhood already. I'll be there soon. Love you, babe."_

"Love you," Monica replied statically as she hang up her phone.

Maria noticed her daughter's dour mood, so she finished putting the last of the food on the table and quickly made her way to the negative girl. She asked Monica, "Why the long face, Mon? It's supposed to be a fun night! Carol and I finally get to meet that wonderful boyfriend of yours."

"Boyfriend...", Monica mumbled looking away from her mother.

Gently, Maria turned Monica's chin to look at her in the eye. "What's going on, sweetie? First you were a bundle of nerves trying to make everything perfect, but now you act like you don't care? What's wrong? Tell me. Please."

Monica took a deep breath. She paused to gather her words before asking, "Mom... do you promise that you'll love me? No matter what I do?"

Maria raised her brow. "What kind of question is that?"

Monica pleaded quietly, "Please, just... just answer the question."

Playing with her daughter's curly hair to soothe her, Maria replied, "Of course I will, silly. Well, unless you do anything illegal or something," she then looked at Monica with a pointed glare, "Is that what this surprise is about? Is your new boyfriend making you do drugs, graffiti, or whatever you kids do these days?"

Monica laughed. "Of course not."

"Then what?"

The doorbell rang.

With her smile dying down, Monica announced, "They're here."

"Finally," Maria said as she walked up to the door with her daughter trailing timidly behind her. The older woman opened the door, expecting to find a cute teenage boy, however, Maria found Amalia instead, now in civilian clothes, blushing and hunched in a very nervous posture.

"Heh, um... hi," Amalia greeted.

Maria stared at the uncomfortable Amalia in visible confusion, Monica walked up to the girl and dragged her inside. Closing the door behind her, Maria asked, "Um, who's this?"

Monica couldn't find the strength to look her mother in the eye. Thankfully, though, Amalia held on to her hand and smiled at her.

Taking a deep breath, Monica explained, "Mom... this is Amalia Chavez. My... my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?", Maria repeated with a stunned look on her face.

Amalia let out an awkward laugh to futily try to break up the tension. "Suprise?"

Maria looked at Monica, who was still shaking nervously, and asked, "Is this why you wanted to keep your date a suprise?"

Monica nodded. "Please don't be mad..."

"Honey...", Maria said softly before holding her daughter's shoulders reassuringly, "Why would I be mad?"

"Because... because eight out of ten parents kick their kids out if they find out they're gay or bi or... whatever," Monica mumbled, "My friend, Tabitha, said so anyway."

"Well, no offense, but your friend is stupid," Maria said eliciting Amalia to laugh a little, "Mon, I'd never reject you for being who you are."

"You wouldn't?", Monica asked looking up to her mother with hope twinkling in her brown eyes.

"Of course not," Maria said pulling her daughter into a hug, "I'd love you no matter who you decide to give your heart to."

Overcome with joy, Monica held her mother tight as happy tears began flowing down her face. "I love you, mom!"

"I love you too," Maria said more quietly.

The two remained silent in their embrace for a moment or two. The pressure that had been on Monica's chest was now all evaporated as she thanked the universe for giving her such a wonderful mom. Maria, on the other hand, was so proud of her daughter. Proud that Monica had the courage to find herself on her own, which was more than Maria had when she was her age. And at the same time, Maria felt ashamed that she let her own daughter feel uncomfortable in her own skin, even if it was unintentional.

Once the two separated, Amalia stepped up with a beaming look on her face. "Thank you so much for understanding, Mrs. Rambeau. You have no idea how much this means to Monica and I."

Maria hummed as she turned to her daughter's girlfriend. "I have to know. How did you two meet?"

Monica backed away to hold Amalia's hand again. The former explained, "It was... a really big coincidence actually."

"I don't believe that. I think it was fate," Amalia said plainly as it was Monica's turn to blush now, "You know a Skrull refugee named Mara?"

"Talos' daughter who is staying incognito at the house across the street? How could I forget?", Maria remarked.

"Well, I used to date her. We... never really hit it off. I guess I kinda settled for her when we were together, but she did introduce me to all her friends at school. Including Monica."

Monica smiled at her girlfriend as she said, "From the moment we met, I knew that there was something special between us. When we were hanging with Mara and the others... I don't know, I just felt drawn to her. I can't explain it."

"We laughed at each others' jokes, liked the same books, have the same interests... we just kinda... clicked. You know?", Amalia then looked away somberly, "Mara noticed how much Monica and I bonded in that time. I never cheated on her or anything, but she knew I would be happier with her. So... she broke up with me, and after a small adjustment period... here we are."

"I admit, I never heard of a breakup going over in _that_ direction," Maria remarked before asking, "Is Mara... fine with all this?"

Monica answered, "I admit, it's a little awkward between us, but we made it work I think."

"Ha! You got off lucky with just a little awkwardness. Trust me, it could've gotten a lot worse," Maria said remembering the lovers she had before Carol.

Monica chuckled. "Considering I'm here at all, I guess you're right!"

Maria laughed along.

Amalia was a little more shaky. "Don't take me as an ingrate or anything, but why are you okay with this? Everyone else in this... neighborhood either don't wanna talk about gay relationships at all or actively despise them. It's so different from my old home..."

"Don't judge a bunch from a few bad apples. People can surprise you. As for me personally? Well...", Maria then spotted Carol entering through the front door. She smirked as she said, "I think it's better if I show you."

Carol took off her shoes as Maria approached her. The blonde idly announced, "Hey guys! Sorry I'm-"

Carol was then interrupted by Maria, who grabbed her suddenly and silenced her with a kiss. Monica and Amalia's eyes widened in absolute shock. In all their time preparing for this moment, this particular scenario never factored in as anything more than a joke.

Carol quickly removed Maria off her. Panting, she looked at Monica for a bit before frantically turning back to her secret girlfriend. "Maria! What the hell?! Monica's watching!"

"Don't worry about that, my love," Maria then turned to Monica and her girlfriend, "Mon, why don't you introduce your 'Auntie' Carol to our guest?"

Still processing this, Monica stuttered, "Auntie, um, this is Amalia Chavez. She's... my... girlfriend. What the hell just happened?"

"Language," Maria scolded teasingly before moving to wrap Carol from behind in a rather intimate embrace.

Carol herself was chuckling nervously. This woman fought terrorists, alien war machines, and whole fleets of spaceships, but it's this sudden reveal of her same-sex relationship to her stepdaughter that was making her lose her nerve.

"How long has this been a thing?", Monica asked still a little floored.

"Your entire life. Basically," Carol said just as awkwardly. She then turned to Amalia and shouted, "Hey! I know you! You're dating my daughter?!"

"Um... sorry?", Amalia whimpered as she hid behind her girlfriend.

Maria turned to Carol. "You know her?"

"She's Avril's sidekick," Carol answered, "And apparently she never learned that it's never a good idea to date the boss' kid."

"I didn't know Monica is yours!", Amalia shouted in a panic.

"Wait, Monica's girlfriend is a superhero?", Maria asked.

"Sidekick,", Monica clarified, "And it's a long story," she then looked at her two legal guardians and asked, "Why didn't you guys ever tell that you two were... you know, together."

Maria let go of Carol to hold her hand firmly. She explained, "Mon... when me and your Aunt Carol got together... it was a complicated situation."

"Your mother and I love each other very much," Carol continued, "But us being together... it wasn't a good look, at least to our bosses at the Air Force. For the longest time, Dr. Lawson was the only one who knew, but if anyone else knew, well..."

"We'd lose our jobs. So we had to keep it a secret," Maria finished, "And we have been ever since."

Monica asked, "But why did you keep it a secret from me? Don't you think I would've loved to have Carol as my second mom?"

"Of course we do. In a perfect world, we absolutely would've told you sooner," Maria said, "But sweetheart, back then you wouldn't have understood the risk we were taking. We could've lost everything. You might have even been taken from us. We didn't wanna burden you with our problems."

"Plus, you had a bit of motor mouth back then. No offense," Carol remarked before Maria lightly scolded her with an elbow tap to her shoulder, "Eh, but it was mostly for that first part. Sorry if we made you feel like you couldn't be trusted."

Monica let out a big sigh. "That's okay. I would've been mad before, but after getting together with Amalia, I... I understand now why you had to keep this from me. Thank you for letting me know now."

"Oh," Maria started to say as she and Carol moved in to embrace their daughter, "We love you, sweetheart."

"And we always will," Carol said softly.

"I love you guys," Monica said back. As they separated, the girl continued, "I'm glad things turned out this way. No there's no more secrets between us!"

"We're happy too, Lieutenant Trouble," Carol said as she affectionately patted her stepdaughter's head.

Monica smiled from ear to ear. "Thanks... ma."

Awkwardly, Amalia hummed and said, "Does that mean I'm allowed to continue dating your daughter?"

Carol looked at her and said, "Sure kid. But just so you know, you break Monica's heart, I break your kneecaps. Deal?"

Amalia felt a chill run down her spine as she said, "Y-Yeah... deal."

Monica let out an amused chuckle as she comforted her girlfriend with a hug from behind.

Aside from the lingering threat weighing on poor Amalia's mind whenever speaking to Carol, the rest of the night went rather well. The dinner was as good as it always had and the company was even better. Monica, Maria, and Carol for the first time felt truly free interacting with one another.

No more secrets. Just love and solidarity.

Needless to say, it was more than what Monica wished for when she first planned out this night.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll admit. Not my best work, but this series has been on hiatus for over a year and it's been a while since I had to write these characters in a one-shot like this. I hope it's at least enjoyable.
> 
> For any long-term fans of the series, you may have noticed that the plot of this story is similar to an earlier story that involves Zatanna from DC being Monica's girlfriend in place of Amalia Chavez. That's because the stories containing DC elements are no longer canon in this now renamed series (and probably deleted by now alongside my incomplete stuff). My vision for this series has changed since then, hence the name change, and those stories got in the way.
> 
> That doesn't mean that I'm done with crossovers. I just wanna distance myself from that kind of stuff for a while to refocus myself on these new stories and hopefully find my groove again. After this story, I hope to write a one-shot detailing Monica and Carol's mother daughter relationship over the years into adulthood. And after that, an AU multi-parter where Carol joins the Avengers from the first movie all the way to Civil War. And maybe during or after that story, I'll expand into other parts of the MCU (Vision and Wanda creating a robot daughter come to mind) and then dive back into crossovers.
> 
> Look, I know myself enough to know that there is a good chance that I'll fall back into the rot and abandon my plans. My muse is a fickle mistress, and I can't really garauntee that I won't fall back into bad habits. But at this point, all I can do is write and hopefully things will get better from there. I'm sorry.
> 
> But that's enough on the personal stuff for now. On with the trivia.
> 
> Amalia Chavez is a minor character in the comics. She is one of the mothers of the more famous, America Chavez AKA Ms. America. In the comics, Amalia and her wife died trying to save their planet, but I plan for a much kinder fate for her here. And yes, Monica will take the place of Elena Chavez in this series and be the future mom to America Chavez (though due to the timeline, any use of the proper version of the character will probably involve time travel).
> 
> That's about it for now. Thanks for the read and all the support. Have a nice day!


End file.
